Washing device with means for injecting air bubbles in the washing liquid



Nov. 13, 1956 R. R. WALTON WASHING DEVICE: WITH MEANS FOR INJECTING AIR BUBBLSS IN IHS WASHING LIQUID Filed Jan. 12, 1955 WASHING DEVICE WITH MEANS FOR INJECT- ING AIR BUBBLES 1N THE WASHING LIQUID Richard R. Walton, Boston, Mass., assigner to Walton Washing Machine Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 12, 1955, Serial No. 481,38()

3 Claims. (Cl. 68-28) The present invention relates to clothes washing and more particularly concerns an improved Washing mechanism having special advantages when employed as an independent unit for use in any convenient container, although also adapted for use as a component of an integrated machine with self-contained tub. The present invention constitutes a distinct improvement upon the invention described and claimed in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 309,517, filed September 13, 1952; and Serial No. 400,568, filed December 28, 1953.

rhe washing devices of my said co-pending applications comprise, generally speaking, a hollow scrubbing member having a multiplicity of openings at least throughout that portion of it which is submerged during use, and which may be composed of wire mesh or constitute a perforated cylinder. The scrubbing member, when the unit is placed or mounted in the tub, assumes an upright position with the lower end of the member in spaced relation to the bottom of the tub. The scrubbing member or basket is throughout its length of a cross-sectional area at least as great as that of its lower end and may be stepped inwardly toward such lower end. Means are provided for inducing a generally toroidal circulation of washing liquid, and any articles immersed therein, around the scrubbing member and to produce relative movement between portions of the articles pressed against the scrubbing member for rubbing and flexing the same. Driving mechanism, for example, a central shaft, is mounted in driving relation for operating the scrubbing member either by way of simple vertical reciprocation, or a combination of such reciprocation and rotational oscillation or, in some cases, rotational movement only. A pump, preferably comprising a centrifugal impeller, is arranged to withdraw liquid from within the hollow scrubbing member and to expel the same outwardly into the tub from beneath the periphery of the lower end of the scrubbing member, thereby causing liquid to cascade through the openings in the scrubbin7 member, replacing the expelled liquid, and, at the same time, inducing the desired toroidal circulation in the tub carrying any articles being washed or scrubbed toward the scrubbing member and pressing portions of the same against the outer surface thereof. The outer surface of the scrubbing member presents external gripping and scrubbing Surfaces which may be formed simply by portions of the wire mesh, if the member comprises a basket, or by separate ribs or steps, or both, operating during motion of the scrubbing member to push articles in engagement therewith downwardly toward the output stream of the pump where they are whirled away into the tub.

ln accordance with the present invention, I have distinctly improved machines in accordance with my said co-pending applications by interposing a liquid ow restricting member between the inner surface of the hollow scrubbing member and the intake of the pump to assure that the latter always will pump a quantity of air mixed with its output stream. In one form of the invention this ow restricting member comprises a casing which forms a wall extending from the intake of the pump upwardly within the hollow scrubbing member and which therefore defines an intake conduit for the pump. This casing is provided with restricted openings, having a predetermined aggregate cross-sectional area, communicating between the interior of the casing and the interior of the surrounding scrubbing member. The interior of the casing is also placed in free communication with the atmosphere above the liquid in the tub, either by extending upwardly to a suitable height one or more of the restricted openings, aforesaid, or by providing an unrestricted air passage in some other suitable manner. The aggregate cross-sectional area of the restricted openings is selected in relation to the capacity of the pump, so that, when the pump is operating, it will always draw some air, in addition to liquid, and force the same as air bubbles into its output stream.

ln a preferred form of the invention an electric motor is mounted on top of the casing, its shaft extending vertically downwardly axially within the casing and scrubbing member. A suitable power take-olf, which may constitute a reverse spiral cam and cam follower, serves vertically to reciprocate the scrubbing member, while, on a continuation of the` motor shaft and at the bottom of the casing, is mounted the pump in the form ot' a centrifugal impeller. In a portable form of my novel washer unit, additionally preferably I provide a plate beneath the impeller affixed to the periphery of the lower end of the casing and on the underside of this plate I provide suction cups, or the like, to hold the machine upright in the tub. This plate thus denes with the lower portion of the casing a circular liquid outlet slot through which the impeller discharges its stream outwardly in all directions.

lt will be understood, of coursc, that the invention is in no way limited to portable washers of the type just described for, indeed, the washing unit may be embodied as the operative washing mechanism in a fullsize integrated machine with self-contained tub and other elements usually included in such machines.

Furthermore, while l have in the specification and claims sometimes referred to the novel device of the invention as a clothes washer, or for use in clothes washing, it will be nevertheless understood that the terminology is only for convenience, and the invention contemplates any use which may be made of the machine, whether in washing the usual articles of clothing or in circulating, washing and scrubbing flexible materials of Whatever kind for whatever purpose.

Still further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which like numerals refer to like parts in the two views and in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View of a portable washer unit embodying the features of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of a tub showing my novel washer in elevation but on a greatly reduced scale operating therein to circulate and scrub articles of clothing.

In the drawing the Washer unit is indicated generally by the numeral 10. lt comprises an electric motor 12 mounted by machine screws 14 on the upper end of a hollow cylindrical casing i6. The lower port-ions of the casing 16 are flared outwardly to form a skirt portion 13 terminating in a relatively at llange 19. Surrounding the casing 16 is mounted a hollow scrubbing member 20 in the form of an open-work metallic basket. The basket is held on a pair of arms Z2 and 24 which in turn are mounted on a cam follower 26 operating in well-known reverse spiral cam surfaces 28 formed in the cam member 30 which, in turn, is aiixed by means of a set screw 32 to the main shaft 34 of the motor 12. To the lower end of the shaft 34 is affixed a centrifugal impeller 36 rotating within the flared portion 18 of the casing 16 which constitutes a pump housing. rl'he basket is held at the top by a ring 38 and at the bottom by another smaller ring 4b. it will be observed that the basket 2i) steps inwardly, as at 42 and 44, providing definite clothes gripping ledges or surfaces in addition to those provided by the wire mesh itself.

Beneath the pump housing 18 and the frange i9 of the casing 16 is disposed a flat, circular plate i6 held in spaced relation to the flange 19 by three or more spacing and mounting elements 48. To the underside of the plate 46 are attached three or more suction cups S0, or other suitable means, on which the machine may be securely stood in the tub to prevent upsetting.

The casing 16 is provided with a series of openings 52 establishing a restricted liquid passageway between the interior of the scrubbing member 2t) and the intake of the pump 36. At a level above the openings 52 are a pair of larger slotted openings 54 and 56 to accommodate the arms 22 and 24, respectively, and also serving to establish an unrestricted air passage between the interior of the casing 16 and the atmosphere above the liquid in which the scrubbing member 20 is partially immersed.

The mode of operation of my improved washing device will be readily apparent from the foregoing description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof. The scrubbing basket 20 reciprocates due to the action of the reverse spiral cam arrangement 26-28, the limits of such movement being indicated by broken lines in both figures of the drawing. At the same time, rotation of the motor shaft 34 produces corresponding rotation of the centrifugal impeller 36. If the unit be stood in a tub having a liquid level as shown in Fig. 2, when the impeller 36 begins to operate, liquid is expelled outwardly into the tub, beneath the lower periphery of the scrubbing member 2b, through the circular slot 58 defined by the flange 19 and the adjacent edge of the plate 46. Withdrawal of liquid from within the casing 16 at once reduces the liquid level therein, and, accordingly, additional liquid to replace the expelled liquid commences pouring in through the slotted openings 52 and in turn cascading through the openings in the basket 20, thus tending to replace the expelled liquid. A toroidal circulation of the liquid in the tub is thus set up, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2, raround the washing unit 10. Articles in the tub will be entrained in the liquid currents and pressed firmly against the exterior of the scrubbing member 20, and, on each down stroke of such scrubbing member, portions at least of the clothing will be gripped by the ledges 42 and 44 and by the surfaces of the wire mesh and pushed downwardly toward :the output stream of the pump. This motion and slippage, during both the upstroke and downstroke, will serve to ex and rub and scrub the articles, thereby washing them in a very satisfactory manner, all as described and claimed in my said copending applications Serial Nos. 309,517 and 400,568.

The principal feature of novelty of the present in vention resides in limiting the flow of liquid to the intake of the impeller pump 36 to less than its full pumping capacity while at the same time providing it with an adequate air supply, thereby always to insure the introduction of a substantial quantity of air into the output stream thereof with attendant copious production of minute air bubbles therein under all conditions of operation. Even a washer in accordance with my said copendng applications, omitting the features of novelty of the present invention, will normally produce a substantial quantity of bubbles in the output of the impeller because of blockage of openings in the scrubbing member by the articles of clothing being pressed thereagainst,

thereby limiting the supply of liquid to the impeller. According to the present invention the immediate and continued production of bubbles, in substantial quantity, is assured under all operating conditions, thereby always achieving the special beneficial results and advantages which result therefrom.

The first of these advantages is that the bubbles tend to elevate the articles being washed, improving the toroidal circulation thereof, greatly reducing any possibility that heavier articles might sink to the bottom ofthe tub and not undergo the washing action. The second advantage resides in the fact that when the impeller 36 is pumping air, in addition to liquid, the load on the driving electric motor is considerably lessened, and this condition prevails even if the machine is operated with a very light load, or no load at all (i. e., only water) in the tub. Therefore, in building the machine the manufacturer need not employ an oversize motor as a safety factor to take care of either the situation where the user might operate the machine in a tub without a load of articles to be washed therein, or with only a very light load, or the situation during starting, when the pump must initially move a considerable weight of water until such time as the articles have been drawn tightly against the scrubber so as partially to block thc openings therein, thereby initiating a vortex and correspondingly introducing air into the liquid being pumped.

By restricting the iniow of liquid to the impeller, as by providing the restricted openings in the internal casing 16, in accordance with the present invention, I am able to insure that immediately after starting and at all times thereafter the pump 36 will draw air as well as liquid, irrespective of the load in the tub. With no load, or very light load, liquid ow is always restricted, and a vortex is formed and air is always sucked in with the liquid, with resultant copious production of bubbles 1n the output stream. Therefore, a smaller electric motor 12 may be used to ldrive the machine, without danger of overloading and correspondingly decreasing the manufacturing cost. Likewise, an improved washing action is assured with either light or heavy loads of clothing, and there is no danger that heavier articles will sink to the bottom and thereby escape the circulating and scrubbing action.

It will be evident that the number and aggregate size of the openings 52 will depend largely upon the capacity of the pump chosen for use in the machine. However, such proportioning and choice are well within the skill of competent engineers familiar with art. ln a machine adapted to beplaced in a kitchen sink, or small tub, a certain optimum water level will be recommended by the manufacturer and the openings 52 will be placed at a suitable level with respect thereto, although this is not a critical matter. The size of the submerged openings 52, which, in the aggregate, determine the permitted ow of liquid to the intake of the impeller, will be chosen to bear a predetermined relation to the pumping capacity of the impeller 36. Thus, if a large impeller is driven at high speed by a powerful motor, larger slotted openings 52 should be provided. Smaller openings will be required with a pump of smaller capacity. i have experienced no diiiculty in selecting openings of proper dimensions so that a vortex will always be formed at the pump intake, thus insuring that the pump will move a substantial quantity of air with the liquid. Free access to atmospheric air above the liquid in the tub must be provided so that an adequate supply of air is present to be drawn in with the liquid, but this can be provided in a number of different ways in addition to the specific arrangement shown.

Of course, if the unit is part of a self-contained integrated machine with permanent tub and automatic controls, the location and spacing of the openings 52 will be selected in accordance with the known characteristics of the machine as to pumping capacity and liquid level.

As already indicated in the preamble to the specification, the novel washer unit of the invention is not limited to the washing of the usual articles of clothing. For example, I have found that the device may be very successfully employed in the circulating and scrubbing of hides in a tanning solution, as well as for other purposes for which it is naturally adapted. Therefore, it is intended in the accompanying claims to cover every use which may be made of a device constructed in accordance with the invention. Furthermore, while l have herein illustrated and described a specific presently preerred embodiment of the invention, it will nevertheless be understood that the same is susceptible of numerous modifications and changes nevertheless within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A washer unit, for use in a tub containing liquid and articles to be washed, comprising a hollow scrubbing member open at its lower end, said hollow scrubbing member being provided over substantially the whole of its immersed surface with a multiplicity of openings and being throughout of cross-sectional area at least as great as that of its lower end, driving mechanism mounted in driving relation to said member for imparting vertical reciprocating movement thereto, pump means mounted in operative relation to the interior of said hollow scrubbing member for withdrawing liquid from within said hollow member and to expel the same into the tub from the lower end of said member, thereby causing liquid from the tub to cascade through said openings to replace the expelled liquid and at the same time to carry said articles toward said member and press the same against said member, said member presenting surface portions to engage the articles and on each downstroke of said memer to push the articles downwardly toward the output stream of said pump means, and a casing mounted within said member providing a Wall extending upwardly from the intake of said pump means within said scrubbing member, said wall defining an intake conduit for said pump means, said casing being in free communication with the atmosphere and being provided with restricted liquid admitting openings communicating between said intake conduit and the interior of said scrubbing member, said openings being of predetermined limited aggregate cross-sectional area in relation to the capacity of said pump means limiting the flow of liquid to the latter to less than its capacity so that said pump means will draw air in addition to liquid and force the same as air bubbles into the output stream thereof.

2. A wasner unit, for use in a tub containing liquid and articles to be washed, comprising a hollow scrubbing member open at its lower end, said hollow scrubbing member being provided over substantially the whole of its immersed surface with a multiplicity of openings and being throughout of cross-sectional area at least as great as that of its lower end, driving mechanism mounted in driving relation to said member for imparting vertical reciprocating movement thereto, pump means mounted in operative relation to the interior of said hollow scrubbing member for withdrawing liquid from Within said hollow member and to expel the same into the tub from the lower end of said member, thereby causing liquid from the tub to cascade through said openings to replace the expelled liquid and at the same time to carry said articles toward said member and press the same against said member, said member presenting surface portions to engage the articles and on each downstroke of said member to push the articles downwardly toward the output stream of said pump means, and a casing mounted within said member providing a wall extending upwardly from the intake of said pump means within said sembbing member, said wall deiining an intake conduit for said pump means, asid casing being provided with immersed restricted liquid admitting openings communicating between said intake conduit and the interior of said scrubbing member, said casing also having unimmersed openings to the atmosphere, said liquid admitting opening being of predetermined limited aggregate crosssectio-nal area in relation to the capacity of said pump means limiting the iiow of liquid to the latter to less than its capacity so that said pump means will draw air in addition to liquid and force the same as air bubbles into the output stream thereof.

3. A Washer unit,-for use in a tub containing liquid and articles to be washed, comprising a hollow scrubbing member open at its lower end, said hollow scrubbing member being provided over substantially the Whole its immersed surface with a multiplicity of openings and being throughout of cross-sectional area at least as great as that of its lower end, driving mechanism mounted in driving relation to said member for imparting vertical reciprocating movement thereto, a centrifugal impeller mounted in operative relation to the interior of said hollow scrubbing member for withdrawing liquid from within the member and to expel the same into the tub from the lower end of said member, thereby causing liquid from the tub to cascade through said openings to replace the expelled liquid and at the same time to carry said articles toward said member and press the same against said member, said member presenting surface portions to engage the articles and on each downstroke of said member to push the articles downwardly toward the output stream of said impeller, and a casing mounted within said member providing a housing for said impeller and having a wall extending upwardly from the intake of the same within said scrubbing member, said wall deiining an intake conduit for said impeller housing, said casing being provided with immersed restricted liquid admitting openings communicating between said intake Conduit and the interior of said scrubbing member, said casing also having unimmersed openings to the atmosphere, said liquid admitting openings being of predetermined limited aggregate cross-sectional area in relation to the pumping capacity of said impeller limiting the flow of liquid to the latter to less than its capacity so that said impeller will draw air in addition to liquid and force the same as air bubbles into the output stream thereof.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 475,339 Otto May 24, 1892 2,235,645 Rocke Mar. 18, 1941 2,636,374 Castricone Apr. 28, 1953 

